Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-02-08
THAT FEARFUL WRECK.
Horrors Multiply and Tales Of Terrible
Suffering and Death Increase
as fine Goes By.
How an Aged Couple Died. One Boy
Claimed by Two Persons What
Caused the Accident.

WHITE R1VER JUNCTION., VT, REQ. e.
Express Messenger A. S. Robbins, who
was one of the SIX persons on the
wrecked Montreal train, who had passed
over the bridge before the accident &C.
Cured, said: SIT is probably one of the
worst accidents that ever took place in
the United States. When we were fairly
upon the bridge we felt shock and heard
a crash behind us. When we looked out
we saw the four rear cars piled upon each
other over the end of the bridge. They
pitched over SO fast that they hardly
scratched the edge of the bridge, and in q
few minutes they were all on fire, with
all the people in them. Ga, it was aw-
full; can'tstalk about it. Ii was awful.
The worst thing | ever saw or heard OF. -
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VT, Feb. =
Mr. Henry W. Tewksbury of Randolph,
VT, lecturer, states that he was in the
first day coach. He was doing at the
time CT the accident, and was aroused by
feeling the car jump up on the railroad
ties. He had been in two railroad acct
dents before this one, and knew what the
sensation indicated. Realizing that an
accident was about to occur, he Jumped
from his seat with the intention of making
his escape. The train seemed
to come to standstill or go
very slowly. He thought it was all
right and sat down again. Then without
q moments warning that anything further
was to occur the car seemed to leap into
space and then came terrible crash.
For a moment he was stunned and
scarcely knew whether he was dead or
alive. He tried 10 move but found he
could not bulge an inch. He noticed
with great alarm that fire had broken out
at the other END Of the car. He strug-
gled with all his strength to free
himself and screamed for help
but there was no one at hand to help him.
! Ii was a time of mental torture, but still
he could not help Noticing an old couple
who were few seats above him. They
sought to get out, but they were hope
lesslY tied down by the heavy seats. The
flames approached the couple with fright
full rapidly, and the aged pair seemed
to feel that there was no nope
for them. The last ne saw of them they
were locked into each others arms and
in the act of kissing. Smoke and flames
now envelOped them, holding them from
view. TewksburY then gave himself up
for lost. He seized fur cap and wound
it around his face so as to cover his eyes
and hide the dreadful view OF approach
ing death. At this time the railroad
bridge above him was one mass of
fire and heavy burning tim0ers were fall
ing all about MIN. Having leaned back,
resigned to meet what seemed his fearful
fate, his hopes of life were renewed by
hearing voices. He unwouud the fur cap
and saw the engineer and tremen close
at hand. He called TO them trantically
for assistance, which they proffered at
once. Selling hold of him his rescuers
pulled him out.
The civil authorities of Hartford, VT,
have now assumed charge of the remains
of the victims snd their personal effects,
so far as found.
1t is now learned that Mrs. William
Demo of Winsoski, VT, was lost. Her
husband was in the baggage car at the
time of the accident. Her remains have
not been identified. A peculiar case has
arisen over the matter of identification OF
a body claimed by two parties, one alleg-
ing that it is the body Of female, and
the other that it is that of male. Even
the doctors are divided on the question
on account of the charred condition, of
the corpse. Clothing, watches, keys, etc,
! belonging to each of the Victims were
! found on the remains in such manner
as to indicate the two persons died to-
gether, and that one body was entirely
consumed. There is nothing left of the
other but portion of the trunk, minus
the head, arms and legs.
! john Henry HaZen, one OF the Board of
| Selectmen of the town of Hartford, says,
| in his opinion, the bodies of forty-siX per-
sons killed have thus far been taken from
the wreck, although this is not by actual
count.
Isaac Gates, undertaken, says that
thirty-two bodies have been brought to
his care, seven of which have been iden-
titled and removed, and perhaps five more
are susceptible of Identification.
Professor Fletcher, chief of the en-
cheering department of Dartmouth col
lege, who has made close examination
of the track leading to the bridge says
there were three rails torn up
at the point where the Car Pill
grim probably left tie track. The
rails all show signs of defects in material
and in construction. Professor Fletcher
thinks the axle on the car Pilgrim broke,
causing its derailment, and that was the
only car which left the track until the
DrluSe was reached.
AT HARTFORD.
HARTFORD, VT, Feb. Local excite
ment over the accident is gradually dying
out. Doctors report that all the injured
are greatly improved. Even those who
were considered most dangerously hurt.
Quite number will be allowed to 60 to
their homes tonight.
Charles Sanford of Washington city,
who was reported killed, was not on the
train, and advices from Montreal state
thst the Kennedy family of i've, supposed
to have been lost, are safe in that city.
PICKING OUT TEE BODIES.
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VT, Feb. -
A sad spectacle was revealed TO the visit
OTIS who gathered st the scene of the
wreck Saturday and yesterday. Before
them, imOedced in the melted ice, were
the twisted iron works of the four cars
which had gone down to destruction and
carried death to most of their occupants.
Where they lay were great pools of
water caused by the melting of the ice by
the heat from the burning cars. The
fourth car from the rear, or one of the
day coaches, was entirely destroyed.
What little remained was hidden beneath
the little lake of water upon the sur
face of which foated embers, bits of
burned clothing and pieces OF charred
hr,y1a Inch i'm